From: Perata Bradley advocating for Lenwood Johnson
First and foremost, thank you for your timely response in the matter of Lenwood Johnson. As you have witnessed his living conditions and concluded “No one should be living like that,” I have to confess I share the same sentiments and for a man like Lenwood, who innovated and made a positive impact on the lives of many, I’m puzzled as well as shocked to find him in this predicament. To get straight to the point in addition to sharing his time and talent as an advocacy to the community; he solved housing problems, strengthened communities and improved lives and the both the City of Houston and the Housing Authority of Houston benefited tremendously and continue to profit from his 42 years of pro-bono organized efforts and achievements.
I can truly say that we can add the term soldier to Lenwood’s list of street cred titles. He has been living off $150 odd something dollars a month for four years and counting. Four years or more without the basics like utilities, adequate healthcare and nutritional needs not to mention wants like a bed and living room fixtures. Clothes haven’t been washed and cleaned in months. Four years and counting of no supporting income and the money that was left over from paying his rent he would spend on holistic medical care that he presumed would work like herbs, peppers and organic powders you would seek at grocery stores like Wholefoods. He spends 20 hours of the day inside his home either sleeping on a cot on the floor I presumed ready to die. And no one would know all these things because of the man Lenwood is and became. He made a real difference and provided true change for thousands and unlike a lot of leaders from 4th ward and local politicians and government and city officials that get paid and reap the financial benefits for being elected- the majority of them said officials have not done what Lenwood has done and can’t even compare to his accomplishments. I myself don’t know everyone nor do I have extensive background on others who have provided services for the community or their community but what I do know is no one has done so like Lenwood Johnson and surely not for FREE.
He shouldn’t be in this situation and he wouldn’t be in this situation and to confess the landlord/homeowner is not to blame. We in the Fourth Ward community WILL NOT slap ourselves in the face by blaming the same demographic that helped pave the way for Lenwood’s effort in the fight for Allen Parkway Village 42 years then and now. Tran Thuong is Freedman’s Town family and as a matter of fact I grew up with her daughter and went to G.L.E.C with her. The Thuong Family was smart enough and capable to do what many of us originals from Fourth Ward couldn’t do and that’s not sell out our community and I do believe that the City of Houston have in the past and continue to put pressure on the Thuong family as they have done to many distressed original homeowners in the area.
Finding legal aid to fight against someone who could very well be getting beat up again by the City of Houston will only have the original Freedman’s Town residents fighting an unnecessary fight which is not what Lenwood wants. I’m quite sure Tran Thuong can’t afford to rebuild and lack the funds needed for a successful remodeling of the home that’s probably the reason why she rents out the place for cheap rent still. And I’m sure gentrification has affected the property value. I could go on and on and I should because of the negative connotations associated with the word gentrification that has led to more and more displacement of lower income families like original Fourth Ward residents.
So many original 4th ward residents like Ms. Beacom and family at 1308 Gillette st who recently passed away two months ago but tried for decades until she took seek and had been denied over and over the grant money and other resourceful funds to rebuild their home but the City is quick to mark their home as a historical site. And then we have Ms. Campbell who is near the age of 90 and holds the title as the only Freedman’s Town resident left on Robin st (1617 Robin st) to remodel her home. A decade ago you could catch Ms. Campbell still walking the blocks of the neighborhood in her basketball shoes and now today she is on her last stages in her life bed-bound. Her love for 4th ward and its children is unmatched and she always said she would never sell and her kids now have to carry out her wishes no matter how had it maybe to never sellout. These homeowners have been through hell and back thanks to the City of Houston and Government green-light to redevelop the neighborhood and for me I’ve seen at least 30 funerals in the last four (4) years of Fourth Ward has been residents of all ages… we just buried Tremaine Givens August 5, 2017. We burying a lot of Fourth Ward residents of all ages and many died trying to live here. Dying to survive! Many without hope, living on the streets in despair just like Lenwood, waiting to be celebrated by the community which loves them when they are dead and gone. Darryl Patterson known as ‘DP’ who also done big things for decades for the youth of 4th ward died in vain and to make matters worse we had to raise the funds to bury him properly.
I assure you that Lenwood was well on his way to the grave and for me and others near and far his is our hero. I definitely will not and could not continue to let him die in vain and surely not his almost forgotten legacy. I almost questioned God, “Why Lenwood?” But I guess God has said, “It’s up for us as a people to show our gratitude and thanks to someone as Lenwood.” I’m taking the initiative to do my part. It’s evident that the City of Houston has little empathy for the community of Fourth Ward and Freedman’s Town history. If not- then why must we in Fourth Ward fight so hard and for so long over the preservation and historical relevance of our community. Why must old residence suffer through the redevelopment process? Our culture and history has been swiped away from us because of the lands proximity to downtown a project started well over 40 years ago to make Downtown Houston- a City within a City.
The City has inconvenienced Fourth Ward past residents with duping them out of their rentals and enticed landowners to do the dirty work; for the landowners and homeowners like Tran Thoung who didn’t cooperate and sell out, the City and local government attacked them with city codes, ordinances, and a bunch of denials. Once Big time developers took what they wanted the City and State locked up remaining lots and property with strict guidelines on what can and cannot be built on such lots forcing many other longtime property owners to result to the Preservation route. It has been made perfectly clear to past and current residents that the City of Houston and the State of Texas for that matter, would rather take 4th ward vacant lots and land and use it for dog parks and other unnecessary space and entities like the African American Library at Gregory that knows nothing about the true history and culture of the neighborhood and allow past residents to suffer and live nomadic and die in vain. Not to mention the City and Government didn’t mind digging up our Founders of Freedman’s Town Cemetery and graves of many prominent African American first free slaves and used
our history to benefit others: other than the residents. A continuation of now.
The City has done everything possible to rebuild and provide adequate modern housing and home ownership for any and everyone except the residents who deserve a chance and as historical evidence reveals… were promised. The City continues to squeeze big business development into the area but won’t sacrifice anything for the residents of the past or the remaining ones forced out or on their way to being strategically forced out. Unfortunately these issues would have continued to go unnoticed and unheard but for whatever reason God had in mind, it now became Lenwood’s turn at being pushed out. Like the other no names before him and like other leaders who passed away with little recognition. Lenwood name resonates in the same light as Shelia Jackson Lee in this area. Everyone in the Fourth Ward district old and new know Jackson Lee’s name and have seen her grace her presence at many of the longstanding churches in the community and has had her hand in the aiding of other community leaders with their goals for preservation but there are also long standing residents both home owners and renters who are struggling and dying to stay put in their community and having been holding on since the seize of the community.
There are homes that were promised to the past residents like the ones located on the 1600 block of Robin, those were original homes and structures from the past that were redeveloped thanks to Lenwood efforts, that the Housing Authority later obtained then sold away to someone else not from the community which is now vacant and up for sale and lease. I remember the family who was original in those homes and I remember how that Jackson family housed more that 10 or so children who grew up and spent 20 years living there; a 2-bedroom home at that. To add there are residents in Allen Parkway Village living better than Lenwood on their worst day and to make matters worse none of them know of the man that has help provide them their place to stay. Why don’t they know of Lenwood Johnson as residents I ask?
In my opinion, none of this would even be the case today if the City did what was right for the community of Fourth Ward and for Lenwood Johnson. If the City didn’t allow big developers to JUST come in and build without building for the poor and less fortunate even if it was at a ratio of 10:1. Ten new high rise pricey homes to one low income home. There were and still are willing private sectors and developers willing to do these things. I see it in other areas centered around downtown who are taking those chances for those redeveloping communities. And Lenwood wouldn’t certainly be without or in this situation if the City and State did as they have done for other prominent community leaders. There are 4th ward ministers and leaders that reaped the good benefits of the community. Before Mayor Sylvester Turner became mayor the community of Acres Homes had already made him a permanent staple household name in the area. He even has a park in his honor and I honestly can say I’m still unaware nor have I heard much about his work in the community and I’m not downplaying his achievements it’s just unfortunate to know that Lenwood can’t get the same celebratory and acknowledgement and it’s a slap in those who know Lenwood’s efforts as well as his that 90% of Allen Parkway Village never heard of the man.
In no way the City of Houston or the State of Texas would allow this to happen to the Mayor past or present , nor to you Shelia, so why must we do the bare minimal for Lenwood Johnson. Lenwood has suffered enough! The original members of Freedman’s Town have endured enough of a beaten. We need opportunity and we need it fast and in a timely manner. We’re humble but definitely hungry. Lenwood Johnson is like our very own Martin Luther King Jr. Just as the government compensates and takes care of our veterans and other important people in America what shall the
City, state of Texas, and federal government do to take better care of Mr. Johnson.
I am going to conclude with a message from Lenwood dating back to 1983:
If nobody, no one supported me… then I’d probably drop it. But there’s one important thing in this thing and that is. ‘I was middleclass up ‘til about three years ago and I dropped through NOT Republican nets but DEMOCRATIC safety nets all the way in to public housing. I needed someplace to stay and I needed it bad. And public housing was there for me then and I ‘ma make sure it’s for someone else. Cause I don’t plan to stay here. I plan to move on… move right on back up the line’. But it was here for me and my family THEN, and when I leave I ‘ma make sure it’s here for someone else.”
“I am NOT going to let ’em tare it down!”
There were over 200 visitors in attendance who were also in the area for Camp Logan tour and history ceremony held by Gladys House-El. So many youth received free haircuts and braids and also enjoyed a host of other activities during the 4-hour event. Over 150 backpacks with school supplies served many back to school kids who were happy to be in attendance. Once again, the community of Fourth ward pitched in and did there all to provide another free event to the public. Next year, it gets bigger. Take a look at some of the photos below.
What's Happening in 4th ward Now 